Great Southern Stage Run - The Trailien Invasion!
Some of the best adventures begin with a spur of the moment decision.
For five of us Trailiens, that was how we approached The Great Southern Stage Run. It started with Liz and Leo, two friends who had been looking out for their next adventure. Knowing that the event was organised by Rapid Ascent – the founders of the Larapinta Stage Race, who consistently arrange excellent events – they didn’t need any convincing. They were in. Without doing any research, Kay and Vivienne also signed up, quickly joined by Helen with an offer to drive. And so in November, five of us Trailiens made our way to Denmark, WA, for an adventure that should be on everybody’s bucket list.
The event takes place between Walpole and Albany, with most of the race run on the Bibbulmun Track. There are detours onto some stunning beaches and mountain bike tracks; the terrain changes often and showcases the best of the region’s natural beauty. Each of the three days had four legs, and the only rule was that each team member had to run at least one leg each day. There were mostly teams of three and four, with four individual runners bravely taking on the challenge of running solo. In our teams of two, we each ran two legs per day. Transport between each leg was up to individuals, and the course was not marked – instead, we used Capra maps to navigate, which added a sense of adventure to the experience.
On day one we left our accommodation at 4:00am for the Valley of the Giants, where we were to begin our race beneath a canopy of towering red tingle trees, where we were met by a musty-smelling, 7-foot Yeti giving out hugs. And before we knew it, the race had begun.
Vivienne and Liz were the runners on this leg, and after a short lap under the trees and over a suspended walkway, they headed off towards the coast. Helen, Kay, and Leo – who were running support on this leg – delighted in the voyage. Travelling down dirt roads with no GPS and only a hand-written list of directions to guide was more fun than stressful and hanging out with the other teams at the aid stations in between changeovers was wholesome. Each runner wore a tracker, but the lack of mobile coverage meant we relied upon scouts sprinting back-and-forth to alert the next runner of impending arrivals.
We quickly found our rhythm as a crew, topping up each other’s nutrition and changing over the tracker before heading to the next checkpoint. The tracker functioned as our ‘baton,’ so it was vital to ensure that it was securely attached to the next runner. This day of the race covered a mix of terrain including forest trails, wild beaches, craggy cliff tops, calling for occasional rock hopping and even a river crossing by canoe. Back at the Airbnb, we were all in bed early, feeling weary and wondering how our legs would cope tomorrow.
Day two saw another early start, where we began at Parry Beach with a long stretch of beach running. Thankfully, our legs held up well, and with our fears allayed, we made our way across the dunes. After the beach we headed inland to climb Mount Hallowell, which at only 301 metres of elevation felt more like a hill – much appreciated by our legs!
At times, the lack of course markers meant that a turn-off could be easily missed, but there was an exciting challenge in reorienting and finding the correct path again. This is where the camaraderie built up at the aid stations came in handy; even though we were competing, each team was more than happy to help their opponents find the way. That being said, Capra Maps was invaluable, and having our phones handy made for some great photo opportunities!
Day three allowed for a sleep in, thanks to a handicapped start from Cosy Corner, arranged so that all teams would arrive at the Camp Quaranup finish line around the same time. The staggered starts increased the sense of competition; each runner in the distance became a new target to overtake, all with the knowledge that there were more runners behind you with the same goal in mind. But in spite of this, day three was the most social day of all. Teams pulled closer together as the day went on, meaning that there were more support crews at the changeovers, and by extension, more people. By this stage, we had gotten to know the other teams fairly well, and the sense of community was heartwarming. The finish line was one of our favourites we’ve experienced. As we finished the race, we were met by cheers from the crowd and a cold beer – courtesy of the event’s great organisers, Sam and John – which we enjoyed while sitting on a stretch of grass bordering the sea. There were so many spectacular views throughout the race, but this was the most welcome!
Resist the urge to do this run solo, because tackling 200 km solo over three days doesn’t leave much time for laughs and social banter, which were one of the main highlights. We would suggest going as a team to soak up the atmosphere and incredible scenery. This is an event we highly recommend and would happily go back to. It was superbly organised, and the multi day/team aspect meant there was plenty of socialisation and fun along the way. More than just a race, this event was a true adventure.